


The Iliad of Hongshan

by ArtemisMingyue



Category: Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Chinese Mythology, Chinese Religion and Lore, The Iliad - Homer
Genre: Apothecary, Asexual Character, Cats, China, Chinese Mythology & Folklore, Gen, Goddess of Hongshan, Hongshan Civilization, Matriarchal society, Medical School, Original Fiction, Priestesses, Taoism, Trojan War, zombie war, 中医, 红山女神, 红山文化, 道家, 道教
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-21
Updated: 2019-06-21
Packaged: 2020-05-16 00:13:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19306729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArtemisMingyue/pseuds/ArtemisMingyue
Summary: This is an original work and not a fanfic but I want people to read it and thus have decided to publish here.The story is set around 50 years in the future, in Hongshan, a city built near the ancient site of the Hongshan Civilization (located in the northern part of China).  The characters and plot are inspired by the Trojan War and a dream I had involving zombies that were fought with cats, and the world is inspired by Daoist lore and archeological interpretations of the Hongshan civilization. The city specializes in medicine and was founded with an all female government in order to encourage women to participate in politics.The story follows 3 siblings： Kassia, Paris, and Helena. Paris becomes jealous of Kassia, his twin sister and heir apparent of the Apothecary; he desires political power for himself. He meets Alabaster, who is obsessed with Kassia, but cannot pursue her because Kassia is a priestess that keeps an oath of celibacy. The two end up dabbling in the dark arts and create a zombie army, and also kidnap Helena, Kassia and Paris's younger sister, in order to bait Kassia (because they think this will totally achieve both of their goals).  Kassia did not ask for any of this.





	The Iliad of Hongshan

Paris was furious. For the third time that week, his mother had put him on duty in the vegetative patient wing. He could not recall the last time Kassia or Helena was asked to help with chores there. It was typical anti middle child and anti male child bias! Now he was stuck with the lifeless stares of those who were neither dead or alive. Well, some of them would recover. But for now any one of them could make his evening extremely frustrating. He did not want to clean body fluids off the floor again. 

But just as he muttered this thought out loud, the air suddenly filled with the reek of bile, and a nurse yelled for cleaning tools. Paris grimaced, and suppressing his annoyance, grabbed some cleaning tools from the nearby shelf and dashed over to help. 

The nurse, a boy perhaps only a few years older than Paris, thanked him repeatedly as Paris moved a decontaminator over the filth. “I wish I had your patience,” the nurse commented. His golden brown eyes peeked out from between the cap that rested upon his brow and the hospital mask he wore over his face. He was sitting on a small stool behind Paris, fervently towling off his patient, an elderly man in a wheelchair, whose spilled waste pouch had soiled the right side of his hospital gown. 

Paris suppressed another grimace. It was not patience, just numbness. Anyone who had to clean the vegetative wing every other day since the day he was tall enough to use a decontaminator would learn to block out disgust. 

“You get used to it eventually,” Paris said in response, turning to face the nurse. “Are you new here?”

The other boy nodded, “Yeah, I just got my license last month actually. I was assigned to this post just a few days ago.” He set aside his towel and stood up, pulling his mask down to his chin, revealing his small, pale features. His face was plump and smooth, like a child’s. He reminded Paris of a small bird--a silver throated bushtit perhaps. The nurse tilted his head, surveying Paris. “My name’s Yan Huying (燕呼鹰),” he offered, “What’s your name?” And because the author is a fool who wants to save herself the trouble of revealing everyone’s Trojan War identities in a more natural way, Yan Huying will be from here on known as Ajax in narration. 

“Song Jiangmang (宋江茫),” Paris replied. 

Ajax’s eyes widened in awe. “You’re Apothecary Bai’s son!” 

Paris nodded nonchalantly, but quickly added a slight smile. He did not want the new nurse to think he was hostile. It was not Ajax’s fault he was stuck in this wing. Again. 

Ajax smiled.“I didn’t know she sent her children to help out here,” he mused, “What about your sisters? Does Song Jueming(宋决明) come here often?”

Paris’s face darkened involuntarily at the mention of his twin sister’s name. “Uh, no,” he said saltily, “Jueming doesn’t get assigned here often. The girls are probably picking flowers or something right now.” Well, collecting herbs, but same difference. Here he was, thinking that he could potentially befriend the new boy, but just like with everyone else, their conversation could not last two minutes without mention of Kassia. Kassia, the heir apparent of the Apothecary! The medical sciences prodigy! The golden child, perfect in every way! If she were a book protagonist she would be a Mary Sue! 

Reading Paris’s contained anger, Ajax chuckled nervously, “Sorry , I guess you get asked about her too much.” 

“Yeah, all the time,” Paris sighed, “I’m used to it though.” He looked away. 

A silence grew between the two boys. Ajax pulled his mask over his face again and straightened his cap. Both boys suddenly took a particular interest in finishing the work on their hands, as though eager to get away from each other in the least awkward way possible. Ajax finished first. "I can take the decontaminator for cleaning if you want," he offered, seeing no other option. 

Paris paused his task, which had consisted of aimlessly fidgeting with the decontaminator. "Sure," he replied, handing over the machine, "Thanks. I'll go see if there's anything else I need to do. It was nice meeting you, brother."

Ajax nodded, "Nice to meet you too. I guess I'll see you around?"

"Of course." It would be hard to avoid him, Paris thought.


End file.
